Searchlight attachment for gun sights



Jan. 25, 1944f 2,340,253

H. SCHMITT SBRCHLIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR GUN SIGHTS Filed Augfz/ll, 1942 Snoer'ltot l Patented Jan. 25V, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEARCHLIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR GUN SIGHTS 2 Claims.

The invention relates to searchlight attachments for gun sights, and has for its object to provide a searchlight mounted on a telescopic gun sight so the target will be illuminated for the gun pointer, irrespective of the elevation, depression or lateral movement of the gun for firing purposes and on a given trajectory according to range, thereby overcoming the inaccuracies where the searchlight is mounted directly on the gun.

A further object is to mount the searchlight and telescopic sight on an arm so it can pivot transversely on deection adjustment and raised or lowered according to the range on sight adjusting operations.

A further object is to provide the searchlight with brackets having sleeves which encircle the telescopic sight for supporting the sight so it will move with the searchlight supporting bracket, remaining constant with the axis of the sight during a range adjusting operation.

With the above and other objects in view the r@invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being -understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional form of gun, showing the searchlight applied to the telescopic sight thereof.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the reverse side of the gun.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the gun, searchlight and sight. i

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the supporting bracket.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates a gun supporting sleeve in which the gun 2 reciprocates, upon ring, in the usual manner. The sleeve I is provided with conventional trunnions 3 for supporting the gun and the gun is adapted t0 be laterally swung or elevated or depressed through the usual training and control mechanism, according to the range, and the necessary trajectory and dellection for a particular range.

Heretofore, as far as searchlights are concerned on gun, they have been directly mounted -on the gun, and used for relatively short range firing. It is obvious that for long range firing, involving a trajectory, the searchlight or rays would not be projected onto the target. To obviate this diiiiculty the searchlight 4 is rigidly mounted on the telescopic sight 5, hence during all of the sighting by the gun pointer the target will be illuminated, irrespective of the elevation of the gun. The searchlight and telescopic sight are connected together by bands 6, extending around the searchlight and having arms l which terminate in sleeves 8, in which sleeves 8 the telescopic sight 5 is mounted.

The bands 6 are connected together by a bar 9. and the bar 9 is pivotally connected at I0 to the transverse portion I2 of the elevating bracket I3. The bracket I3 is disposed to one side of the gun and sleeve I and has its rear end pivotally connected at I4 to the recoil sleeve I. The searchlight and sight are elevated in relation to the gun by means of a, scale operating wheel I 5, which is provided with a Worm gear I5, which worm gear meshes with a worm gear I1 carried by a vertically movable adjusting screw I8 threaded through the lug I9 carried by the side of the sleeve I. The upper end of the adjusting screw I8 engages the iiange 20 carried by the bracket I3, therefore it will be seen that the searchlight and sight may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly as desired. The upward and downward adjustment is preferably limited by a lug 2I which extends through an arcuate slot 22 in the bracket I3.

The searchlight and telescopic sight are laterally adjusted on the pivotal point I0 by means of a scale adjusting wheel 23, threaded on the shaft 24. The shaft 24 extends through the bracket I3 and terminates below the under side of the searchlight as clearly shown in Figure 4, and connected to the search light by means of a downwardly extending pin 25, which extends through an elongated aperture 26 in the end of the threaded shaft 24, therefore it will be seen that by rotating the sight adjusting wheel 23 the axis of both the telescopic sight and searchlight can be adjusted for deflection purposes. Interposed between the bracket I3 and a. collar 2l is an expansion spring 28, which is compressed cr allowed to expand when the searchlight and sight are being adjusted. Bracket I3 is provided with an indicator pointer 29, which cooperates with the scale on the operating wheel 23.

A pointer is also provided at 30, which is used in connection with the scale on the adjusting wheel I5.

From the above it will be seen that a searchlight is provided for guns which have to be ada yl iusted for range, and the searchlight is supported for movement along with the telescopic sight. 'I'he searchlight may get its power from any suitable source, for instance storage batteries .3| through conductor wires 32.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A searchlight mounting and adjusting means for supporting a, searchlight above agun reciprocally mounted in a recoil sleeve,/l said mounting comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the sleeve and extending forwardly and upwardly, the forward end of said lever having an intumed member overlying the upper side of the gun in spaced relation thereto, said searchlght being pivotally mounted on said inturned member and movable in a transverse plane, a limit lug carried by the recoil sleeve forwardly of the pivotal point of the lever and extending into an arcuate slot in the lever, an elevating screw carried by the sleeve below the lever and cooperating with the under side of the lever for raising and lowering the lever, and means carried by the lever and pivotally connected to the rear under side of the searchlight rearwardly of the pivotal mounting of the searchlight for laterally moving said search light on its pivotal connection to the inturned member.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means carried by the pivoted lever and cooperating with the searchlight for pivotally mounting the same comprises a threaded shaft extending through an aperture in the pivoted lever, an adjusting rotatable member threaded on the shaft to the outside of the pivoted lever, the inner end of said threaded shaft terminating in a head having a transverse aperture therethrough and a pin carried by the under side of the searchliglit and extending through the aperture of said head.

HERMAN SCHMITT. 

